1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital input means for miniature type electronic devices such as an electronic timepiece or the like and more particularly to a data input construction which makes use of a mechano-electrical converter element such as a piezoelectric element or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a miniature type electronic device such as an electronic timepiece or the like having a digital display, a so-called select and set system has heretofore been proposed. In such system, a push button as an external actuator member is operated to supply data as an input for the purpose, for example, of setting hour and minute. Meanwhile, a so-called winding stem type input system has also been known which makes use of a winding stem as an external actuator element so as to rotate it for the purpose of continuously correcting hour and minute.
However, the former select and set system is rather troublesome in operation for those skilled in correcting a conventional needle type timepiece, that is, a conventional analogue timepiece. The latter winding stem type input system has been developed in order to eliminate the drawback which has been encountered with the former select and set system. But, this winding stem input system has the disadvantage that leftward rotating direction and rightward rotating direction of the winding stem must be detected so as to effect plus correction or minus correction, thereby requiring complex contacts, that it is impossible to make small in space, that adjustment becomes complex, that it is not reliable in operation and that it is difficult to apply it to a wrist watch.